Accessibility Links

Australian accuses Sri Lanka President of war crimes

October 25 2011, 6:32am, The Times

Sri Lankan-born Australian Jegan Waran

Mahinda Rajapaksa, the President of Sri Lanka, flies into Australia today for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) after a Sri Lankan-born Australian filed an indictment for war crimes against him in a Melbourne court.

Jegan Waran, who claims he saw hospitals, schools and orphanages attacked by Sri Lankan forces and experienced chemical bombings as well as aerial bombardments, filed two charges against Mr Rajapaksa. They include presiding over the intentional bombing of civilian hospitals during the last months of the 30-year civil war, and depriving Tamil civilians of their rights by incarcerating them in prison camps.

The indictment was filed under the Australian criminal code and is set for a hearing on November 29.